On June 30, 2021 Alligator Bioscience (Nasdaq Stockholm: ATORX) and Scandion Oncology (Nasdaq Stockholm: SCOL) reported that promising preclinical data from their ongoing collaboration exploring the anti-tumor effects on drug resistant cancer by combining Scandion Oncology’s drug candidate SCO-101 and Alligator Bioscience’s candidate drug mitazalimab.

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The collaboration explores the anti-tumor efficacy of the CD40 antibody mitazalimab in combination with SCO-101 as an addition to chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX) in chemotherapy-resistant preclinical tumor models. The hypothesis is that SCO-101 will revert chemotherapy resistance and thereby facilitate a strengthening of the anti-tumor effects of mitazalimab.

The combination of mitazalimab and FOLFIRINOX demonstrates a strong anti-tumor response in FOLFIRINOX resistant cancer cells. Importantly, the current data indicate that the anti-tumor effect of SCO-101, mitazalimab and FOLFIRINOX is even more potent than mitazalimab and FOLFIRINOX. The studies are still ongoing and further monitored for anti-tumor effects and survival.

The data further validate the potential of mitazalimab in combination with standard of care chemotherapy such as FOLFIRINOX.

"We are pleased to see that the preliminary results strengthen and expand the preclinical efficacy data for mitazalimab, by demonstrating synergy with FOLFIRINOX even in tumors resistant to chemotherapy. This bodes well for our OPTIMIZE-1 phase II study where we are assessing the efficacy of mitazalimab in combination with FOLFIRINOX in pancreatic cancer. Once we have the full data we will evaluate the possibility of testing of the triple combination in clinical trials," said Søren Bregenholt, CEO of Alligator Bioscience.

The data support the basic concept that SCO-101 in combination with chemotherapy and immuno-oncology is well tolerated and has a very potent anti-tumor effect in vivo on drug resistant cancer cells.

"The very first set of in-vivo data is encouraging. The studies will continue to draw the final conclusions, but this first assessment is supporting our hypothesis and opens for a novel opportunity in our R&D strategy. We are pleased that the collaboration with Alligator Bioscience has enabled us to explore the potential of SCO-101 in the setting of immuno-oncology and are committed to explore the potential of SCO-101 in immuno-oncology further," said Bo Rode Hansen, CEO of Scandion Oncology.